I am 36 days away from training camp! I cannot believe how close everything is getting. I am quitting my job, packing my stuff up into storage, giving up my apartment and just kind of putting life on hold. But the thing is, my life isn’t being put on hold. It’s going to keep going and I am going to go through a new chapter of my life where it may influence the rest of my future.
I am in the process of becoming a better version of myself. -unknown
I read on current racers blogs to kind of get an idea of what to expect, but the truth is, I can read all I want, I can research all I want but the emotional, physical, and spiritual feelings are lacking. It is unimaginable to me what the World Race is going to be like and to see it through my eyes and actually experience everything.
For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you. Do not fear, I will help you – help is on the way. – Isaiah 41:10, 13
I know that the World Race is going to teach me all about how to live a life as though Christ lives inside you. We are not our own and we are here to be followers of God. I have had a few moments recently to learn what it is to serve God. Not just around the world but within our own community, neighbors, and strangers.
1. I was driving out of the parking lot of the store and saw this man sitting with a sign. Something just kind of took over my mind, there was a McDonalds down the street, I ordered a Big Mac and drove back to give it to the man. I rolled down my window and said “I brought you some lunch.” I saw the most pure smile from this guy and his eyes lit up and he just said “God bless you.”
2. I’m in the process of advertising my upcoming fundraiser. I wanted to pass around some flyers to hang up. I walked into this Christian Bible Store in my town and asked them if I would be able to hang up a flyer and explained the World Race, where I am going and all about it. I instantly made new friends, here are strangers that quickly became new friends in Christ and one of them immediately said, “I don’t have money, but I have time! I will help you bus tables the night of your fundraiser.” God places the right people at the right time. Timing is everything. He showed His love to me through someone I don’t know and help me connect with others in His presence. I walked out the door and said, “God is good!”
3. This one took a personal toll on me. It happened just yesterday and so there’s a part of town I am hardly in, it’s a good 15-20 min with traffic to get there from where I live but I decided to head that way to one of the stores. I see someone sitting outside the store, dirty and sweaty. Yet he looked familiar. I kept walking, then he waves to me and walks right up to me. He is a classmate of mine from high school and we’ve known each other since we were babies! I got to talking with him, he’s taken walked down some bad paths and I found out he’s been homeless in my town for 2 months. I know nothing of his past since high school. I take him along with me to go get lunch, I took him to goodwill to find a new outfit, I was able to give him new socks and underwear, then I took him to my house. Let him shower, shave, get cleaned up. We hung out for 4 hours. we talked about the past when we were kids, we talked about my upcoming trip and he told me he’d like to go on a mission trip one day. We talked about such awful stories he’s been through but he is here. God is not done with him. I dropped him off where he wanted to be and I just started crying, I’ve known this kid for 26 years and I just watched him walk away. I am praying hard for him and hope God can lead him on the right path. I left him with my blog webpage and gave him encouraging talks. All it took was time, he was more grateful then I’ve ever seen anyone and was extremely thankful.
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your father in heaven. – Matthew 6:1
I don’t share these things to receive a pat on the back or to draw attention but to show and share simple ways to love like Christ loves. To share love and to not judge. I know that God is with me always and will keep me safe. God doesn’t just use situations for YOU to be the server but He places people next to you to help you. I KNOW since my eyes opened on my trip to Ethiopia last year that I am extremely blessed in abundance and I have way too much to be thankful for. There is a reason I am where I am and there’s a reason I’m walking down this path I’m on.
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction , and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it. – Matthew 71:13-14
